Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, Middle School Science Projects (Page 19)

Ping Pong Pickup Challenge

Science Fair Project Idea

Engineering Design Process

In this engineering challenge, you will build a device that can pick up a ping pong ball from a distance and return it to a start line. The farther away the ball is, and the fewer materials you use to build your device, the higher your score. You can see how other students have tackled this and other annual Science Buddies Engineering Challenges. Read more

Pinwheel Magic: Take a Spin with Animation

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Do you enjoy watching cartoons and animated movies? Do you have fun playing video games? What do all of these things have in common? Fantastic computer animation, that's what! It's a cool job to take an interesting story or game and make it more entertaining by animating it. In this computer science project, you won't animate a full-length feature movie, but you will animate a pinwheel—a project that can go a long way toward creating your own longer animations! You will create an animated… Read more

Plastic Deformation: Glass Transition of Some Plastics

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Some plastics undergo an unusual transition, from a hard, glassy state to a soft, rubbery state, with increased temperature. For this project, you should do background research on the effects of temperature on different types of plastics. Make sure that you understand the difference between thermosetting and thermoplastic polymers. You should also look for information on the glass transition temperature (Tg) for different plastics. Pure polyvinyl acetate has a Tg of 28 C (about… Read more

Play an Electronic Drumset with a Raspberry Pi

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

When you were little, did you ever make "music" in your kitchen by banging kitchen utensils on pots and pans? What if you could actually take those kitchen implements now, and play them with different sound effects? In this project, you can convert basic kitchen utensils into your own electronic drum set using a Raspberry Pi. Check out the video to see what this simple, but fun, project looks like. IMPORTANT: The instructions for this project were originally written using Scratch 2 on a… Read more

Polymer Permeability: Which Plastic Wrap Prevents Oxidation Best?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

There are currently two different kinds of polymers used for kitchen plastic wrap: low density polyethylene (LDPE) (e.g. Saran or Glad Wrap) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) (e.g. Reynolds PVC Foodservice Wrap or Boardwalk PVC Food Wrap Film). Which of these materials is less permeable to oxygen? When you slice an apple, the surface of the slice turns brown as the apple is oxidized. Can plastic wrap seal out oxygen and prevent the apple from browning? Which plastic wrap works best? Do… Read more

Pop Goes the Metal: How Temperature Affects Snap Time of a Jumping Disc

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Jumping discs can be a fun toy to play with, and with their sudden POP!, they can even be a good way to startle people who have never heard them before. Jumping discs use a neat trick to jump. They are made of two different types of metal, and these metals expand when they heat up (or shrink when they cool down), but not by exactly the same amount. In this science project you will explore how temperature affects the reactions of your jumping discs— and how to get the timing right if you… Read more

Power Play: How Does Animation Timing Affect Your Perception of Game Action?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

"Pow!" Wow, what an awesome punch that character has! Ever wondered what goes into making a punch look good in a video game? Or any other character motion sequence, for that matter? Try this science fair project for a firsthand look at how art and timing can create memorable game action. Read more

Predicting Wildfire Intensities and Locations with AI

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Have you ever wondered what causes wildfires and how resources are allocated to prevent their spread? In this science project, you will use machine learning to predict areas of wildfire susceptibility and their intensities. Read more

Remove Silver Tarnish with a Homemade Battery

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Have you ever wondered why silver jewelry that starts out nice and shiny turns brownish-black and dull over time? The brownish-black stuff is called silver tarnish, and it is the result of a chemical reaction on the silver's surface. Luckily, there are many ways to clean tarnished silver and make it shiny again! In this science project, you will explore how to clean tarnished silver using electrochemistry. The electrochemical silver cleaning reaction requires aluminum and a salt solution. Your… Read more

Riding on Air—Build a Real Hovercraft

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Looking for an exciting new mode of transportation? In this science fair project, you will build a working hovercraft that will glide over surfaces on a cushion of air. And it's simpler to build than you might think! Read more

Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, Middle School Science Projects (282 results)

Explore Our Science Videos